Middle School Itinerary
For Students
We all remember our time in middle school. It was that interesting stage where your mind starts to wake up and you begin to home in on your passions and you start to develop your strengths and confidence. Riding on this new and fresh way of looking at the environment around them and in the world, San Antonio can give them real life experiences that can support their education in the classroom and their personal dreams.
With this suggested itinerary, your middle school student is learning, but not limited to:
- The traditional historical points of reference in Texas history.
- The causes and effects of European exploration and colonization of Texas.
- How individuals, events, and issues related to the Texas Revolution shaped the history of Texas.
- The relationship that exists between the arts and the societies in which they are produced.
- The location and characteristics of places and regions of Texas.
- Earth and space. The student understands the organization of our solar system and the relationships among the various bodies that comprise it.
- How biodiversity contributes to the sustainability of an ecosystem.
Things to Do, See, & Explore
- Get connected to the rhythm of the morning by taking a guided or non-guided kayaking experience down the Mission Reach area of the San Antonio River. This portion of the river is one of the nation’s largest urban ecosystem restoration projects. You’ll be connected to the diverse wildlife and ecology that is native to this area.
- After you meander through Mission Reach, don’t forget to visit one of San Antonio’s Spanish Colonial Missions. Before Texas was Texas or the United States were united, you should check out what was here almost 300 years ago! Visit Mission San Jose to understand the way of life, the impact that the Spanish had in this area, and how agriculture impacted the landscape and way of living.
- Continue the exploration towards the northern part of downtown and walk, bike or hike the Museum Reach on the San Antonio River to get connected to the San Antonio Museum of Art. It is known for its collection of ancient Mediterranean, Asian, and Latin American art.
- Engage further with experiences at the Witte Museum and see where nature, science and culture meet with massive exhibits of dinosaurs, People of the Pecos and Texas Wild, and other rotating exhibits.
- While around the Broadway Cultural Corridor, make sure to visit the San Antonio Botanical Garden to learn about biodiversity and how it works together to form a healthy ecology.
- Looking for some exhilaration and want to feel the effects of science? Try taking a ride on one of the roller coasters at Six Flags Fiesta Texas and understand the effects of gravity and how it relates to energy and inertia!
- Another idea for your afternoon exploration could be spent at the Land Bridge at Phil Hardberger Park. It’s one of the coolest things to check out! People crossing it will have the experience of climbing over a big hill, unaware of the traffic below. You can also use the Skywalk that climbs through the treetops. Use it to check out and identify native trees and birds in the area.
- At night, you are going to love to visit Main Plaza at San Fernando Cathedral. On Tuesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, you can see visual storytelling on the façade of the cathedral. The evening show is called The Saga and is 23 minutes long showcasing the cultures and history of our region. Or you can go out to the Texas Hill Country and see stargaze at Enchanted Rock, an international designated Dark Sky.